community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Duluth, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: caneberries (nearest 2.4 mi NW); apples (nearest 1.5 mi N); grapes (nearest 0.7 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Duluth?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Duluth, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, maples; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Caneberries: about 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi N, blooms early Mar – early Jul
- Apples: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi N, blooms early Apr – late Apr
- Grapes: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms late May – early Jun
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Duluth
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Western Cool Temperate Urban Herbaceous; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 53% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Caneberries: raspberries: insecticides used on about 99% of acres in Washington (2023); Caneberries: blackberries: insecticides used on about 60% of surveyed US acres (2017); Apples: insecticides used on about 76% of acres in Washington (2025); Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 34% of acres in Washington (2025); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 34% of acres in Washington (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025); Blueberries: insecticides used on about 91% of acres in Washington (2025); Strawberries: insecticides used on about 76% of acres in Washington (2016). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Duluth ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 99th | 78th | 52nd |
| Washington | 85th | 85th | 46th | 47th |
| Willamette Valley | 66th | 58th | 89th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Duluth: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dollars Corner 2 mi · Ridgefield 3 mi · Mount Vista 3 mi · Cherry Grove 4 mi · Meadow Glade 5 mi · Battle Ground 5 mi
All towns in Washington · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Duluth (45.7838, -122.647); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.